Breech-loading gun



(No Model.)

I LARSEN BRBBGH LOADING GUN. f 58,704.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I. LAR-SEN.v BRBBGH LOADING GUN.

Patented Sept. l, 1891. Cip# i llt KIlIlIH-III Tu: Noms ravens co.,Puonrumo., msnmofnn, n. c.

UNITED STATES Pi-WENTr GFFICE.

IVERI LARSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.4

BREECH-LOADING GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,704, datedSeptember 1, 1891.

Application filed January 30,1890. Serial No. 338,656. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IvERr LARSEN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBreech-Loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to breech-loading fire-arms in which areciprocating bolt is employed to open and close the breech.

The invention has among its objects to provide a construction in whichthe bolt carries the tiring-pin, the niainspring by which the tiring-pinis thrown, and a pawl which holds the tiring-pin cocked, a constructionby which the guard-lever that reciprocates the bolt is given a movablefulcrum, a construction by which the guard-lever cocks the firing-pin inthe retraction of the bolt, a construction by which the mainspringsupplies the force for nipping out the shell, and a construction bywhich the principal parts of the lock mechanism are removable with aparticular part of the metal breech-frame.

Before describing in detail the accompanying drawings, which illustratemy invention, I point out that the extremity of the guardlever bearsbaekwardly on the firing-pin, which in turn acts through the mainspringupon the bolt to retract the latter. In the retracting movement of thebolt and firing-pin, When there is no cartridge or shellinthegun, thebolt is held from recession to the same extent as the tiring-pin bymeans of a part acting for this purpose as a stud between the bolt andthe guard-lever and having its connection with the said guard-lever at adistance from its extremity. By this means the firing-pin is cocked inthe act of retracting the bolt, and it is held cocked by means of aspring-catch located in the bolt and engaging the firing-pin. Vhen ashell is'present in the gun, said shell is concernedin the retardationof the bolt till the shell is released from the barrel, whereupon thestud mentioned acts, as above described, for the rest of the retractingmovement of the bolt and firing-pin. For

such action on the shell and for its ejection at the proper time thestud above referred to has a prolongation which connects with a slidingblock in the lower front endl of the bolt. The guard-lever operates tothrow the breech-bolt forward through the stud above referred to; butfor the purpose of holding the breech-bolt firmly against the breech theextremity of the guard-lever bears againstthe breech-bolt and is itselfsustained by a suitable bearing on .the breech-frame. rIhe fulcrum ofthe guard-lever is a pin fixed in said lever, but having a movement in aslot formed in a stationary part of the breech-frame. IThis stationaryportion of the breech-frame is desirablya separate and removable memberof the breech-frame and supports the trigger and carrier mechanisms, andsaid portion of the breech-frame is detachable by the removal of asingle screw. 'The guard-lever being also detachable from the bolt andfiringpin, the removal of this single part of the breech-frame allowsalmost the entire lock lmechanism to be' readily withdrawn for the thetiring-piu cocked, and the feed devices elevated. Fig. 4 is an underside View ot' the gun, presented for the purpose of showing the outlinesof the detachable portion of the breech-frame, to which the guard-leverand other mechanisms are connected, as above described. In this Fig. 4these parts are represented in place. Fig. is also an under side getherwith a part of the link which connects Said sliding block with theguard-lever. Fig.

IOO

8 represents the bifurcated end of the guardlever and the constructionthereof by which it detachably engages the tiring-pin. Fig. 9 is atransverse section in the line 9 9 of Fig. 3. Fig. 10 is a top view ofthe cartridge-carrier and its attachments, including the movable jawsfor grasping the cartridge; and Fig. 1l isa transverse section in theline 11 1l of Fig. l0. p

Describing the invention in the particular form in which it isillustrated inthe drawings, A represents the metal breech-frame, towhich the barrel A and magazine A2 at one end and the stock A3 at theother end are secured.

B is the guard-lever.

\ C is they breech-bolt.

D is the. tiring-pin within the bolt.

S' is. the mainspring` actuating the tiringpin, vand Eris the carrier.

The guard-lever Bis biturcated from the point'bto, its inner extremityand embraces the-projection F on the breech-frame, to which projectionit; is fulcrumed. The fulcrum is a pin b', inserted throughthe branchesof .the guard-lever` and provided with the frictionroller h2. Thisfurlcrum-pin has bearing in a slotf, formed in the frame projection andhaving the two directions indicated in Fig. 2, or,v i-n other words,proceeding from-its'inner end outward a short distance in thex arc of acircle. drawn from the center of the bear# ing4 projections near theextremities of the guard-lever branches and for the remainder ot itslength being straight and about at a right angle' with the barrel.

At or near their` extreme' inner ends the branches of the bifureatedguard-lever. are provided withV short oppositely-arranged andinwardly-directed studs b3 b3, Fig.. 8, which engagecorrespondingly-shaped forwardly-diT rected shoulders d on thetiring-pin near the front end ot the latter. The ends of the branches otthe guard-lever are also rounded `concentricwith these studs, and thesides of 3 and 6,.to admit these branchesof the guardlever intoengagement with the tiring-pin, as described, and also to form shouldersor bear# ings at c c, against which the rounded ends ofsaid branches oftheguard-lever may bear for the purpose of holding the bolt irmlyagainst the breech. The guard-lever is provided with shoulders at B',which bear against surfaces of the breech-frame to meet the pressure of'tiring upon the bolt, said shoulders B- being formed upon the arc of acircle having forl its center the cen-ter of the studs h3 or of therounded extremities of the the milled recesses of the bolt C andadapted' tobearagainst the rearwardly-directed shoulders c of saidrecesses. The arm G is pivoted at its forward end to ahead I, (shown infront elevation in Fig. 7,) which occupies a notch c2 in the lower partof the front end of the bolt C, Fig. 3, and is provided with a shank t',Iitted to slide in a lengthwise hole c3, formed in the lower portion ofthe bolt, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 8.

Between the rear wall of the not-che2 and the shoulders c', parallelwith said rear wall of the notch c2, the bolt is left its full size andcircular form. The distance between lines in .the side view of saidbolt: presented in Fig.. 3.V The head l is of such thickness thatwhenits. rear face bears against the rear t Wall of the notch c2 itsfrontface is: ush with the bottom ofthe recess c4. Belovwthis flushsurface the head I is extendedy forwardly in the transversely-curveddirection shown in Fig. 7 to form av continu-ation of, thecircular rimc5, which surrounds the' recess. or depression c4 and by' which thecartridgefhead kis laterally embraced. The. pivot-pin g, which unites.the arm G with the branch-es ot the guard-lever B, passesthrough-ashortobliqu'e slot insaid arm, as indicated in'Fig. 3,.saidslot being formed in the arc ot" a vcircledrawnfrom the center of thestuds b5. on thegnard- I lever branches when the. guard-lever isl at its1 inner position (shown in Fig. 2). and beingot' such length as toallowvibration of theguardlever far enough to clear its-.abuttingshoulder B from the breech-frame-without retract? ing movement of thebolt. the` bolt are. milled away, as indicatedin Figs;

ln the top of the bolt is arranged a-longilever not only retracts thebolt, but withdraws the cartridge-shell, and said cartridgeshell by. itsengagementawiith the barrel and with the hook C bears at the lower part:of its head against the end of the sliding head l, so as to hold saidhead against the `rear wall of the notch c2, notwithstanding .the pryingaction of the guard-lever at its bearings b3 0n the tiring-pin and at gon ythe IOO IIO

arm G. In consequence ot the presence of vthe cartridge-shell,therefore, thep-ressure of the mainsp'ringf actingv on the inner end ofthe bolt is communicated th rough the pivot g, the arm G, the head I,the cartridgeshell, (laterally to the bal-rch) and to the hook C toretard the movement of the bolt until the cartridge-shell escapes thebarrel, whereupon the bolt flies back into bearing against the points gon the arm G, and by this movement the cartridge is fiipped out of theopening in the top of the breech-frame. The mainspring is thus the forceby which the cartridge-shell is discharged. The range of movement on thepart of the bolt is sufficient to allow a loaded cartridge to be thusflipped out of the breech-frame opening. In this retraction of the boltand firing-pin .the latter is manifestly carried farther back than thebolt. Vhen the firing-pin and bolt have nearly but not quite reached therear eX- tremity of their movement, the spring-pawl d', pivoted in thelower rear portion of the bolt,

l engages the notch d3 in the firing-pin and holds thefiring-pin cockedduring the forward movement of the bolt and till let off by the triggerthrough the medium of thelever H. Said lever H is pivoted to the upperend of the inward projection F on the breech-frame, the front end h ofsaid lever being in position beneath the front arm of the cocking-pawl dwhen the bolt is in its forward position, as shown in Fig. 2, The rearend h of the level' H is in position to be engagedV by the overhanginghookj on the upper end of the trigger J, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Saidlever H is provided with an upper rear projection h3, having the form ofa forwardly-directed hook reaching nearly to theinner surface of theupper part of the breech-frame and adapted to be engaged by a slidinghook H having a forward and backward motion and extending throughthebreech-frame, so asto beaccessible for the purpose of locking thelever H against movement when desired, and thus preventing the releaseof the firing-pin from the dog d' by any force accidentally applied tothe trigger J.

H3 is a spring provided with a notch h3, which engages the pin h4 on theslide H when the latter is in position to lock the lever H againstmovement by the trigger, and H3 is a spring arranged to normally holdthe lever H out of engagement with the pawl d.

.To prevent the firing-pin from being accidentally let off against thecartridge, so as to discharge the latter before the lever B is fullythrown against the breech-frame and the bolt C is carried firmly againstthe breech of the barrel, said firing-pin is provided with lateralshoulders d3, and the branches of the guardlever are provided withprojections h4, which are adapted to swing in front of the shoulders Z3as the guard-lever approaches its inner position and the breech-boltapproaches at b5, so that when the bolt is fully thrown against thebarrel and the guard-lever is fully thrown against the breech-frame theprojection cl3 on the firing-pin may pass below the projections b4 andstrike the cartridge when the trigger is operated.

K is a detent-spring or gab secured in the inner surface of one side ofthe breech-frame `suitable spring with light springs e, arranged to openthem and projecting therefrom, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,`in position toengage the prolonged fulcrum-pin o of the guard-lever when saidguard-lever occupies its innermost position,

as shown in Fig. 2.

The carrier or carrier-block E is pivoted at `carrier-block upward andto direct the cartridge to the barrel A', as indicated in Fig. 3. Thespring E3, fixed to an inner projection F on the breech-frame, engages adepression at e3 in the upper surface of the carrier-block near itspivot e to hold the said carrier-block in its elevated position whilethe bolt is being thrown forward during the first part of its forwardmotion and until the cartridge is started into the barrel.

E3 is an arm pivoted to the bottom of the breech-frame in front of thepivot e, on which the carrier-block E turns, said arm E3 occupyingloosely a longitudinal slot e4 in said.

carrier-block, as shown in Figs. 3 and ll. At the free end of said armE3 are two projections or jaws E4 and E3, which rise above thecarrier-block E and extend outwardly in opposite directions above saidblock. These jaws E4 and E5 are for the purpose of grasping thecartridge which rests on the carrier-j block E and holding it laterallyin the plane of the axis of the barrel, so that when the bolt advancesit will direct the cartridge more easily and certainly into the barrel.To this end said jaws are pivoted on the arm, E3 to afford the lateralmovement necessary to the free admission of the cartridge as it passesfrom the magazine to the carrier and for their subsequent grasp of thecartridge.

The compression of the jaws E4 E5 upon the cartridge is produced by thecarrier-block in the rising movement of the latter, the arm E3 beinglifted solely by pressure of the branches of the carrier-block againstthe inclined sides of the jaws (see Fig. l1) and the arm E3 being madeto oppose such lifting action by a The jaws are provided when thecarrier-block is depressed to its lowermost position, said springs e3readily yielding when the bolt pushes the cartridge `forward into thebarrel. the barrel. Said projections o4 are undercut As a special an dindependent improvement, a portion F2 of the breech-frame is madedetachable from other parts of said frame, and upon such detachable andremovable portion F3 of said breech-frame are mounted the trigger J, thelever H, the guard-lever B, the carrier-block E, the arm E3, and thesprings E2 and H3.

Said detachable plate F3 is held in. 1place by means of a single screwor pinL.

IOC

IIO

in Figs. 2 and 3.) To enable this single screw a to retain theplate F2,the forward end of said plate is transversely grooved at f to bearAagainst the through-pin f2, (shown in Figs.' 2, 3, 'and 5,) andl therear end vof said plate is slightly beveled vinwardly and forwardly, asindicated at f3 in Figs; 2 and 3, to bear against a similarly-inclinedsurface of the fixed part of the breech-frame. Upon the withdrawal ofthe single screw L, therefore, the plate F2 may bel easilyremoved,andlwith it all ofthe parts theretoconnected, including the arm G and theslide rvI,which is pivoted to the forward end of the said arm G.

To permit the removal yof the guard-lever, withthe platev F?,thewprojections bi on. the extreme inner end ofsaidguard-,lever areremovable rdownward or in a direction ofthe guardflever, (when throwninto the position shown in Fig`.`3,)ithe central portion of the bolt`beingcut away to admit'of their passage Vin that direction, asindicated by dotted lines at c6 in Fig. 3 and by full lines in Fig. 6,

which presents an under side view of -said bolt detached. In thisdisengagementof the guard-lever from the tiring-pin and the `bolt bydrawing it downward lengthwise when in the position shown `in Fig.- 3the projections g on the arm G are also disengaged from the shoulders cof said bolt. guard-lever is disengaged from thefiring-pin and bolt inthe manner just described said m of which is arranged lengthwise of theYbreech-frame and in the path of the slide I and the short arm m of whichstands out normally in position to oppose the egress of a cartridge fromthemagazineAz. In the forward motion of the bolt carrying the block Isaid block presses inward on the inclined long arm mof the spring M andcarries its short arm m out ofthe way of the cartridge, so as to allow acartridge to be fed by the usual spring behind it to a position upon thecarrier-block E. In Fig. 9 two such springs are shown, one at each sideof the path 'of the cartridge and of the slide I; butin practice asingle spring will serve the purpose. The slide I hasits sides verticaland its upper edge horizontal and in bearing upon a horizontal surfaceof the cylindric bolt C, so that by means of saidslide I, runninglbetween the side walls of the breech-frame, the cylindrc bolt C isprevented from rotation.

I claim as my invention l'. In a breech-loading firearm, the coniibi'-,y

As soon as the nation, with a reciprocating breech-bolt, of a lever forthrowing the bolt and having a yfulcrum-pin fixed thereiniand abreech-framev provided with a projection having a slot in which thefu'lcrum-pin of the lever-works.

2. The combina-tion, with a reciprocating breech-bolt, a firing-pinlongitudinally/movable inthebolt, and a spring betweenthe boltV `and theiiring-pimof a lever engaged 1with Ithe firingpin`for the retraction ofthe firingpin and bolt and engaged with the bolt for theadvancement ofthe latter. v

3. The combination, with areciprocating breech-bolt, a firingfpinlongitudinally movable in the bolt, and a spring-between the bolt andthe lfiring-pin, of a lever engaged-Iwith the tiring-pin forA theretraction offthefiringpin andv bolt and engaged 'withV the fbolt' forthe advancement-of theiatter, saidlever -having a shoulder which abuts4againstfa shoulderin the breech-frame to hold the-bolt against thebreech. v

4. The combination,-with a reciprocating breech-bolt, a firing-pinwithin thevbolt, and

. the mainspring also within thebolt, off a lever arranged to pressbackward on the firing pin in retracting the bolt,and an arinpivoted tothe lever'at a distance from that 'end thei-eofwhichl engages thefiring-pin,- said arm bearing `forwardly against the bolt.

"5. The combination, with the barrel, of a reciprocating breech-bolt, afiring-'pin longiable inthe bolt and provided with a forwardly-direetedshoulder or shoulders, and a main- .spring engaging the `bolt andfiringfpin, ofV a pawl in the bolt engaging the tiring-:pinin-itsretracted positionV with reference tothe bolt, a lever engaging the boltto advance the `latter, and one or more projections on the leverarranged to swing into the path of the forward projection or projectionson the tiringpin when the bolt proximates its advanced position, saidprojections on the lever `being clear of the firing-pin when thebreech-bolt is in position against the barrel.

7. The combination, with the reciprocating breech bolt, the 'iringpinand the mainspring therein, and a pawl carried by the 4bolt for engagingthe firing-pin in its cockedposi- IOO ItIO

tion, of a trigger and an intermediate lever,

the mainspring, and a detent-pawl carried by` the boltand adapted for'engagement with With said intermediate lever.

9. In combination with a reciprocating breech-bolt and a pivoted leverfor retracting said bolt, a carrier-block pivotally supported Within thebreech-frame and having a rearwardly-extended arm provided with one ormore lateral projections arranged in the path of the lever, whereby thelatter tilts the carrier-block at or near the rear end of the retractingmovement of the lever.

lO. In combination with a pivoted carrierblock providedwith a slot, anarm pivoted in front of the pivot of the carrier-block and occupying theslot i thereof, said arm beingprovided with pivoted automaticallyopening jaws which spread above the Walls of the slot in thecarrier-block.

1l. The guard-lever provided with a shoulder B3 and fuicrum-pinb', incombination with a reciprocating bolt engaged by the inner end 'of theguard-lever, and a breechframe provided With a projection F, having aslot f, the inner portion of which is substantially in the direction ofan arc drawn from the axial point of bearing of the guardlever upon thebreech-bolt when the latter is in its extreme forward position.

l2. The combination, with a laterally-recessed breech-bolt andaring-pinWithin the bolt provided with forwardly-directed shoulders which areexposed in the recesses of the bolt, of a bifurcated guard-leverprovided with inwardly-projecting studs which engage with theforwardly-directed shoulders on the firing-pin, a fulcrum-pin fixed inthe branches of the bifurcated guard-lever, and a projection lon thebreechrframe occupying the slot in the guard-lever and provided With aslot for the fulcruni-pin of said lever.

13. In a breech-loading fire-arm, the combination, with a reciprocatingbreech-bolt, of a detachable part of the breech-frame having aprojection provided With a slot, and a guardlever having a fulcrum-pinWorking in said slot and detachably engaging with the bolt andfiring-pin, said detachable part of the breech-frame having connectedtherewith the trigger mechanism and the carriermeohanism, as Well as theguard-lever, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

IVERT LARSEN.

Witnesses:

M. E. DAYTON, C, CLARENCE POOLE.

